Jacksonville's Victorian Christmas

With a Victorian choir, wagon rides and shops decked to the nines in red bows, garlands of evergreen and white lights, Jacksonville's Victorian Christmas is a scene Charles Dickens would be proud of.

With a Victorian choir, wagon rides and shops decked to the nines in red bows, garlands of evergreen and white lights, Jacksonville's Victorian Christmas is a scene Charles Dickens would be proud of.

It's a celebration befitting a small, historical town — with Christmas carolers singing on street corners and a town crier wandering about shouting the news of the day, tagging along on wagon rides and giving local history lessons along the way. Jacksonville has preserved its Gold Rush roots from the 1800s and is one of the few cities in Oregon to be designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, with a traditional Christmas parade. Three large floats — including one with children dressed as angels — will start at Oregon and California streets. The floats will be joined by marching bands, classic cars and vintage fire-department vehicles as the parade makes its way along California Street. A tree-lighting ceremony will follow at California and Third streets.

Jacksonville's historic brick and wooden buildings lend themselves to a Victorian Christmas, setting the stage for a taste of yesteryear.

Weekend festivities will include music, carolers and other revelry from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 1-2, 8-9 and 15-16. Hot beverages will be available to ward off the cold.